Iris
by Akiame9
Summary: And all I can taste is this moment And all I can breathe is your life Sherlock pressed his forehead against John's, breathing out his name. "John-" "Will you stay?"


This is made as a sequel to Chibi Starlyte's Black Balloon Johnlock fic. Following up with an equally amazing and wonderfully johnlock feels song once again by the Goo Goo Dolls. ^_^ Happy Birthday Ari-chan! 3

John had led Sherlock up the stairs to their previously shared flat, both jittery with unspoken feelings and desires. John had so many questions, and Sherlock didn't know if he had the ability to answer in the way John would expect. For all the world he would try to. For John, he would try.

_And I give up forever to touch you_

_Cause I know that you feel me somehow_

Sherlock gently closed the door behind them, passing gentle fingertips across John's jaw as the balloon dangled between them. The couple moved toward the mantle, overwhelmed as John trapped the balloon's string under Sherlock's previously abandoned skull. As John watched the black balloon bob the words glinted back at him, illustriously showing Sherlock's love in writing. Despite his joy John found his lips tipping downward as he turned back to Sherlock with eyes pleading, filled with questions.

_You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be_

Sherlock could deduce these questions, of course. Being away for so long did not stop him from reading John Watson's heart on his sleeve. Where had he been? Hidden in a flat on the upper east end of London, far enough to keep John safe, but just close enough for…well, Sherlock glanced toward the balloon swaying forlornly. He looked back at John who, not given to fidgeting, was standing stiffly and seemingly waiting for Sherlock to make a move. As John's elation and surprise at finally seeing Sherlock again had begun to wear off, he feared making any move that might cause the detective to change his mind. The taller of the two closed the distance between them, holding John close as he tried to explain, his eyes begged for understanding.

_And all I can taste is this moment_

_And all I can breathe is your life_

Sherlock pressed his forehead against John's, breathing out his name.

"John-"

"Will you stay?" Sherlock pulled away only slightly, surprised to hear John speak; but as always, though John feelings may be easy to see, his actions were harder to predict. Sherlock wanted to stay, he wanted to come back and just melt into the way things were before with the addition of being in John'[s arms. He'd never been so unsure of anything in his life, it was driving him mad and yet he didn't move to let John go.

'_Cause sooner or later it's over_

_I just don't want to miss you tonight_

"I want to come back, I…" Sherlock paused suddenly, gripping John tightly. He had never been a coward in mind, but how could he return to what they'd once had?

"You're afraid of what people will think. Is that it?" Even after three years of absence John could still figure him out so easily.

"You need to know I never meant, I didn't mean-" John easily interrupted him once again, much to Sherlock's chagrin, and yet he smiled just to know it was John who was interrupting him.

"I never doubted you, not for a moment." John clenched his fist into Sherlock's purple shirt, blinking his eyes to forgo the tears he was valiantly trying to hold back. He was tired of crying, he wanted Sherlock so badly and wasn't willing to ever let him go again. He looked into Sherlock's eyes and saw the one thing that shouldn't be holding them back.

_And I don't want the world to see me_

'_Cause I don't think that they'd understand_

_When everything's made to be broken_

_I just want you to know who I am_

"Sherlock…" It was John's turn to be interrupted.

"I know John I just, I don't want to have to lose you again, I can't lose you again." He punctuated this with a harsh kiss to his army doctor's lips. He couldn't stop once he'd started and John had to regretfully push him away to once again be able to meet his repentant eyes.

"You won't! You don't have to leave, you can come back and everything can go right back to the way it was, just…with more between us than simple flat mates. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. I'm here, I've always been here, and I believe in _you_, Sherlock." John hugged him close, fearing his words weren't enough, fearing that even after three years in hiding, three years for everyone but him to forget about the miraculous self-named consulting detective, Sherlock would still rather be in hiding than return to him.

"You've always known just who I am. Passed all of my walls and tricks, you could always see right down to my very being." Sherlock pulled away, seeing John was only a moment away from breaking apart before his very eyes. He started to remove his coat and John watched on in confusion. Kissing the shorter man he pulled away and watched John's face as he tossed his coat onto the couch, _their_ couch.

John's smile seemed likely to split his face as Sherlock swept him back into his embrace and the two stumbled toward John's bedroom, craving a deeper connection to reaffirm everything that had been realized between them. Clothing was shed and their feelings ran rampant as the two collapsed onto the soft bed and fit so perfectly together, like missing puzzle pieces lost from their greater whole but still holding fast to each other.

Through future villains and the unknown the couple would survive and grow stronger. John was his Iris, conveying many emotions all centered around their love for each other.


End file.
